The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-12-10


sanctuary of religionp 1t was once said:
1.-THE rich and the poor meet together
and the Lord is the maker Of them ALL
By and by one event will come to all,
stripping the rich man of his riches and
the poor man of his rags. The church
should be the symbol of that great lev
cling which brings all alike before the
one Judge and Father. / cannot be-
lieve there is any necessary or perma-
nent chasm between the Glasses"
We all have religious instincts and
needs. Still the unconverted did not
largely seek the revival. 1t was Curl
GUS and unexplainable fact.
The revival itself was not always
clear and helpful. If now / speak of
defects and weak points in it, it is be-
cause these weaknesses are not personal
to anybody. To speak of mans fail
ings here would be discourteous and
objectionable. But l call your atten-
tion to a weakness that is incidental to
what is called "the plan Of salvation" !"
1t too early became hOpelessly cOnfus-
ing and artificial. Two facts will show
my meaning. 1t is fact that the re-
vival early reached the high-tide mark
of spiritual success and afterward fell
below that mark. On the third night
in the Methodist church the climax
came and came no more. On that night
the theme was, "Love, Love Of God.
Love Of Christ. Love of disciples.
Love as power in Society. Love as
an element in faith and in practice to
make this world better" That was the
sermon. 1t was like the chime of
sweetest bells from above the clouds
like the shrill notes of bugles telling of
"a Prince of Peace and good will about
to come across the distant hills; like
the opening of a new alabaster box to
annoint afresh the head Of Jesus ,and to
diffuse afragrance through all the world.
To be there was like finding some new
mount of TRANSPORTATION amid the
streets and homes of busy age. Every
heart sprang forward under the touch of
this Christly ideal. And said, ''if this
can continue we shall all be melted" In
that hour the climax of the revival
came and did not come again. Whyp
Because the appeal was changed.
Changed from the power and uses Of
love in making this world better, to the
utility of accepting salvation from per-
dition in another world. Now when we
press the question of salvation-the
gains and rewards of accepting the
Saviour's blood-we invariably awaken
selfshness. Motives of ease and safety
are not the noblest motives. They do
not kindle the finest enthusiasm. 1
honor the revivalist in that he preached
his honest conviction--even though it
was the old theology, unmodified and
unadorned. But that old theology is
hopelessly arbitrary and superficial in
its notion of salvation. That sublime
evening in the Methodist church gave
us noble sermon ON Love. Love to
God and love to mankind. "On these
commandments hang all the Law and
the prophets" l submit that it would
be profitable thing to make all our
plans Of salvation ''hang" there also.
But when the revival began to ask men
to accept salvation from future tor
ments-salvation from the punishment
for their sins-by the blood Of Christ,
it was not understandable. When it
told men that they could be saved in a
moment by standing upto accept Christ,
it broke the natural connection between
character and destiny. 1t became un-
natural and confusing. When it said /:
1--WE bring you no salvation that re-
quires work on your part" it became
absurd. Yet this was the burden of
the later seIvices-a very heavy burden
too. What a surprise it will be to the
new convert when he discovers the fact,
that he must work for any salvation
that he gets What disappointment
it will be when he ediscovers that he is not
saved in moment but must watch and
pray and be tempted and resist like
other men
This notion of salvation, instantane-
GUS and free by accepting the literal
blood of Christ can never stand while
men know that there is discipline. 1t
can never be received by any mind that
perceives how inseparably character is
linked to destiny. What would be
thought of "plan' that offered to
make education instantaneous and free?
Mems experience wouldrefute it. Mems
experience does refute the notion that
offers to make salvation result from
what Jesus did alone. Religion ought
to transcend experience but no religion
can afford to run full against our nat
ural experience. It's an awful thing to
defy facts. The mere act of consent
ing to be saved cannot be worth as
much as years of discipline and duty.
Yet it is claimed that to stand up and
confess Christ completes salvation.
Then what need of watching and pray
ing and Bible reading The remedy
for the backsliding that must come to
those who hope to get salvation on easy
terms is, not to slide forward until you